E-Waste Recycling

Technology is getting better and better all the time, at least that's what we are led to believe.  Computing power is increasing, size is decreasing, and electronics have now pervaded into every nook and cranny of our lives, from our cars, to our coffee makers, to our computer screens.  As is with life, all things that live will eventually die, and this is no different with technology.  In the past, malfunctioning electronics were built to last lifetimes, and if they were to fail, they could be easily repaired.  As it happens, this is no longer the case.  We now live in a culture which cherishes nothing but the newest tech, and our old tech is literally designed to fail (planed obsolescence).  Much of our electronics are nearly impossible to repair as well, so we are faced with the decision to either toss it in the landfill, or bring it to a recycling center.  I'd first like to detail exactly what happens to the recycled electronics, then give an overview of other options available for end of life electronics (For a more specific case study, see my previous post on microwaves in the U.K)

Recycling (end of life) (Reclaiming materials)

WHY DO IT?  

1. Recycling is done primarily to Reclaim valuable materials (Gold, Silver, Cooper, Aluminum, and Palladium), and is generally a safer alternative and better for environment than mining for these materials
2.  Prevents Pollutants from entering the waste stream
3. Can save money for companies who have take-back programs

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE

1.  Snip cables, pull chips from boards, grind plastic cases into particles, dip circuit boards into acid baths to dissolve lead, cadmium and other toxic metals, strip insulation from copper wire 

Circuit board dis-assembly (China)

Open pit burning

  PROBLEMS/ISSUES

1. If recycled properly, the environment will be kept more clean than if e-waste was placed in a landfill
2. Lack of laws (U.S. has not ratified the Basel Convention or its Ban Amendment) so there are limited laws regulating export of e-waste overseas     80% of all e-wasted slated to be recycled is not recycled here, but is exported 
3. The exported e-waste goes to countries with limited health and environmental laws, so much of this e-waste is recycled improperly i.e. circuit boards are burned in open pits, releasing toxins and plastics into the open air, dissolving circuit boards causes groundwater pollution due to leaching (lead poisoning common in e-waste recycling areas in developing countries
4. Low wages, limited laws and valuable parts increase the chance/incentive e-waste will be exported to developing countries
5. Refurbishing old components is a threat to manufacturing – incentive for corporations to quell any recycling/refurbishing effort 

SOLUTIONS

1.      Some corporations recycle (Best buy, Staples)

2.      Some corporations fix (Apple)

3.      Pressure manufacturers to use less toxic materials in their processes

4.      BASEL CONVENTION = BANS OVERSEAS EXPORTS

5.      WORLD REUSE, REPAIR, and RECYCLING ASSOCIATION = FAIR TRADE EXPORTS – export only good CRT monitors directly to reuse factories.  “If used electronics exports are outlawed, only outlaws will export used electronics

6.      “WEEE TRACE project” – Uses radio-frequency tagging or image recognition to track e-waste – hopes to crack down on illegal exports